Panacea
by Maddybug
Summary: I told myself to run until I thought I couldn't run anymore, and then run some more. I would have to get used to it, because for the rest of my life, I knew I could never stop running.
1. Running

**AN: Hey guys. So I'm kind of ridiculous. I know I already have two other stories that aren't even close to being finished, but this idea hit me the other night and I couldn't help but go with it. I promise The Only Exception and Abduction are not being abandoned. I have been wanting to go back to those stories for quite some time now and hopefully this story will help get my "writing juices" flowing again so I can revisit them soon. Anyway, here's chapter 1, it might be a little confusing but I promise it will all make sense eventually. Please review! I love the feedback!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC's. **

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"If you run, we're going to chase you Lucy. _I have to chase you." _His tone was almost pleading. In any other situation, it would have surprised me-the hint of desperation in his voice. It was so unlike him. We stood there for a long moment, ignoring the rain that was streaming down our faces and soaking our clothes.

Fuck his desperation. It did nothing to quell the resentment that continued to hit me in waves. I was drowning in my own fury and I let the anger swallow me whole.

"You're a fucking coward Wade Wilson." I tried to look him square in the eyes, to prove to him how much I meant it. Or maybe it was to prove it to myself.

Wade took a step forward, backing me up against the wet brick wall of the ally. It was then that I felt it, the familiar burn building just beneath my skin and I clenched my fists in frustration. He met my glare with an unwavering and indignant gaze that suddenly had me wanting to look any where but at him.

"Yeah? Whose the one running?"

He took another step towards me, his body just shy of being pressed against mine and I felt the burning intensify, the electricity surging through me. What had over the months become an accustomed and expected side effect of our proximity was now like a disease I could feel crawling through my veins. It was too much, he was too close. Wade may not have shown any sign that he also felt it coursing through him, but I knew he did.

My breathing was rapid as the pressure of our connection continued to build. He was just _too close_. I needed him to back up or I felt like I would explode.

I tried to hold him at bay, placing a hand against his chest. Averting my gaze as best as I could, I pleaded with him. "Wade... Back off...I can't-"

As usual, he ignored me. "Deal with it." he said and bent forward until his forehead was pressed against mine. Annoyingly, my body began to hum from the contact.

He closed his eyes and breathed in. "Don't make me hunt you Luce. I _really_ don't want to hunt you down." He said softly.

His words echoed in my head and I felt my fury raise back up to the surface. I knew what he was saying. He may not _want _to hunt me, but as sure as the day is long, he'll do it if he has to. Wade Wilson's loyalty was truly only to himself.

What a fool I had been.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I allowed the electricity to build until the hand I had placed on his chest began to glow, the white hot light heating my fingertips. He must have felt the warmth, because suddenly his eyes were open and he raised his hands defensively, slowly backing away. He studied me, and I could already tell he was weighing his chances of subduing me without his swords before I could take him out with my new found ability. He was quick, but in this circumstance he wouldn't be quick enough and I think he knew it.

"Just let me leave." I said, holding my glowing hand up in front of me.

Wade's all too familiar smirk was sad as he continued to watch me. " Doesn't look like I have much of a choice beautiful."

"No," I said watching him carefully. "You don't." With every step away he took, I could feel the hum beneath my skin begin to subside, making our connection slightly more bearable. I was grateful.

For a brief moment I considered blasting away, and ending it all right then and there. Stryker and the rest of them would definitely be at a disadvantage finding me without Wade's abilities. I might actually have a chance.

I kept my eyes on him. His own hazel eyes squinted occasionally as the rain hit his face, and I watched as the water dripped from his hair. He was as beautiful as he was deadly- and make no mistake, Wade Wilson was a whole new brand of lethal. Static crackled from the device on his hip, cutting through the sound of the rain hitting the ground.

{ Wilson! Do you have a 20 on Carmichael?}

His eye's were apologetic as he reached for the receiver.

{Wilson! Do you read me? Come in.}

"I _have_ to do this. I have no choice!" I suppose I was trying to reason with him, although I don't know why. I knew it wasn't going to change anything.

"I know you think you have to." he said and my heart broke as I watched him raise the handheld receiver to his mouth.

"I hate you." I said as a tear fell down my cheek, mixing with the rain running down my face.

He held my gaze for a long moment. "I know."

And then I was running. I could hear him radio in our location from behind but I didn't look back. I ran to the end of the ally and out into the open city. I told myself to run until I thought I couldn't run anymore, and then run some more. I would have to get used to it, because for the rest of my life, I knew I could never stop running.


	2. Good Morning Beautiful

**AN: WHEW! Ok, this was a REALLY difficult chapter to get out. It's crammed with a lot of information and was very difficult to get just right, but I feel like I got it to flow pretty decently, and I cannot tell you how glad I am to finally be finished with it! It might seem like a whole lot of info thrown at you at once, but I promise it was necessary and I also promise the more fun stuff is just ahead. I hope you guys enjoy, sorry for the gap in between updates! Please feel free to leave a review! I love them so.**

**Ps. I played casting director again and decided to cast Majandra Delfino as the face for Lucy. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's.**

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"Good morning beautiful."

It was the first thing Wade Wilson ever said to me, and in any other situation it would have been totally charming. Wade is unfortunately pretty charming no matter what he's doing, with the exception of when he's murdering someone and even then it's debatable. But it's not so debatable when one supposedly ordinary morning you finish washing your face, pat it dry with your towel and look up to find a man you don't know standing behind you, grinning at you through the mirror.

Did I mention this man has_ really _big swords?

A normal first reaction would have been to scream. But I was so petrified I couldn't even _blink_. I just stood there staring at him, afraid if I moved it would spur him into action. I felt like my mind was moving at a drunken pace, slow and sluggish. I remember desperately willing myself to do something, _anything_ other than just stand there and gape at him like an invalid.

And eventually I did the only thing I felt I could do, and answered him, like I was on auto-pilot. "Good morning..." my voice surprisingly calm despite my nerves jumping under my skin.

The look of unexpected amusement on his face was the last thing I noticed before he brought the handle of his sword down on the back of my head, knocking me out cold.

I don't know if it's normal for someone to dream after being knocked unconscious, but I did. I didn't dream of Wade with his swords, or of any impending doom. I dreamt that I was driving. Or rather, I was trying to. I remember being behind the wheel of this car trying desperately not to crash it. The steering wheel would jerk and spasm in every direction, while I pulled and tugged, fighting for control of the vehicle. Every time I felt like I had the car driving smoothly again, it would violently jerk to the side and I would scramble to keep it steady on the road. Looking back on it now, I can't help but feel like that dream was a perfect metaphor for the direction my life was about to take.

It had been 4 long years since the last time I had seen Wade, but that didn't mean I wasn't thinking about him. I wished more than anything I could allow myself to forget that asshole but every morning, whether I liked it or not he was the first thing on my mind. My eyes would snap open, my heart racing and anxiety at an all time high, like I was expecting him to be standing over me, saying those damn words to me again.

_Good morning Beautiful._

I knew the day that happened would be the day my time had run out. I couldn't let him find me. Because if Wade found me, that meant that _he_ hadfound me and the mere thought of Major William Stryker was enough to turn my blood cold. I would rather die then go back to that awful place, under that awful man's control. The things he had wanted to use me for...the things he wanted me to do...

I would never be able to stop running because of him. I would never be able to see my family again. My life could never go back to normal and it was all because of him and that idiot Wade Wilson. When I think back to the person I was before I was taken, I could hardly recognize the girl I used to be. When I was a kid, I never would have thought that at 25 years old I'd be on the run from a secret rogue branch of the government, moving from place to place, never staying long enough to put down roots, constantly changing names and appearance.

Then again, as a kid I also didn't know that I was a mutant...

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_5 years earlier..._

_I was jostled awake when I felt myself being hoisted over what seemed to be the very broad shoulders of a man. Immediately, panic overcame me and I screamed, thrashing about as violently as my restraints would let me, throwing my captor slightly off balance._

_" Oh god-Oh my god! Help! Somebody please!" _

_I was shocked out of my hysterics when a hand briskly swatted my behind and a deep gruff voice barked out, "Hey!"_

_I was so atsonished by the action that I stilled myself, the fight temporarily draining from me. We had stopped moving and I heard him take in a breath before speaking again. " Dramatics aren't gonna get you anywhere in here, kid. Now be a good girl and don't move. You aren't as light as you look."_

_As I lay there across my kidnapper's shoulder, shaking and stunned into silence, I became aware of three things. My head hurt like hell, I was blindfolded and bound, my arms at a very uncomfortable angle behind my back, and that I was experiencing the most violent wave of nausea I had ever felt. Not to mention I was more than a little insulted at his dig about my weight. _

_What in the hell was going on? Why would anyone want to kidnap me? I was a normal 20 year old girl. My family wasn't rich by any means, I had no special talents or skills, well unless playing "chopsticks" on the piano or speed reading had become a unique ability. I couldn't imagine I had pissed anyone off enough to validate abducting me from my home._

_I whimpered as I tried with everything I had to keep my stomach, not to mention myself, calm. But his shoulder pressing into my abdomen and the anxiety vibrating through me had me wishing I had stayed unconscious, because the movement as he walked made me dizzy with sickness. I tried to concentrate on the sound of of his footsteps, echoing throughout the area we were traveling, but each step he took his shoulder nudged my stomach, making me wince. _

_"I-I'm going to be sick." I finally stated, through clenched teeth._

_" No you're not." he replied, never breaking his stride. _

_"I'm telling you, I've never felt this awful. You have to put me down...you have to put me down right now! Please!" I said keeping my voice as steady as I could._

_" You'll live." he said, and I could swear I thought I felt the vibration of a slight chuckle._

_I groaned in discomfort and squirmed slightly as he adjusted me on his shoulder, continuing down the unknown path until he stopped suddenly. Several beeping noises reached my ears before I heard the distinct sound of a door unlocking and creaking __open, revealing several scattered and muffled voices. My stomach sank. This was bad. Extremely bad, horrifyingly bad. These strange people, __**with freaking swords**__, had stolen me in broad daylight and I had no idea where they had taken me. I might never see my family again. I couldn't believe the last thing I said to my mother was "I'll eat the leftovers." I had never missed my mother more in my entire life than at that moment. _

_I suddenly and unceremoniously was plopped down into a chair, a chair that was apparently made completely out of metal and I shivered from the contact of it's coolness against my legs. _

_" It's looks like our guest of honor has finally arrived! Logan, if you would?"_

_My head snapped in the direction of the new voice and I stiffened as the blindfold placed over my eyes was yanked away, followed by the rope that had kept my hands bound._

_Squinting as my eyes adjusted to the light, I tried to take in my surroundings. The room I was in was completely bare save for the metal chair I was currently confined to and small table across the room. The walls were painted the most sickly color of green I had ever seen. Like moss on a tree stump, which only further increased my uneasiness. Standing to the right of me, still clutching the blindfold was a mountain of a man, his flannel shirt and wild hair making him look untamed and feral, a stark contrast to the stoic appearance of his face. His eye's were the only difference in his rough appearance. They held a hint of softness that almost made me want to reach out to him, beg him to help me, to let me go._

_Directly in front of me was a man who looked no older than my own father. He stood with the rigid posture of someone who had spent years in the military, and his dark green uniform decorated with medals left no room for argument about that fact. He looked like he could be someone's dad, the kind of dad who would sit you down for meaningful talks and take you fishing. His smile was easy going and warm, quite the contrast with his cool gray eyes, making you want to trust him the moment you saw him. Because of that, I immediately pegged him as the most dangerous man in the room._

_Finally to my left, crouching maybe 3 inches from my chair was the man who started this whole thing off with a bang, or rather a blow to the head. He very slightly and tauntingly swayed back and forth, one arm resting on his knee while the other held firmly to the handle of his sword, which he had stabbed into the shaggy carpet, balancing on the balls of his feet. The twin to his weapon was sheathed behind his back, ready to be drawn out at a moments haste. What was most distracting though, was that his eyes never once left me, the most arrogant grin I had ever seen gracing his (admittedly handsome) features. The way his gaze would quickly flick across my face made it hard to tell if he was thinking about fucking me or killing me. Against my better judgement, I glared at him. I fucking hated him and if I were to be murdered tonight, I wanted to make sure he knew it._

_" Ms. Carmichael, I apologize for the circumstances in which we have to meet, but I assure you they were absolutely necessary."_

_I dragged my eyes away from the guy with the swords reluctantly. I didn't trust him to keep his weapons, or his hands to himself._

_Feeling that this may be my only chance to talk my way out of this, I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned my attention to the eldest of my three captors. _

_"Look I don't know why you've brought me here but...but please, I just want to go home. I have a couple hundred dollars saved up and-and you can have it all..."_

_"We have no interest in your money my dear."_

_I felt tears spill over onto my cheeks. This man's voice wasn't harsh or demanding like you would expect a kidnapper's to be. It left me in the dark about what he had in store for me and I was terrified._

_" Who are you? What do you want?" I choked out. _

_The man simply smiled. "Well, you of course."_

_I couldn't control my fear anymore and felt myself begin to hyperventilate. "Wha-I mean...why? What could you possibly want with __**me**__?"_

_I managed to get out between panicked breaths. I heard a condescending snort of laugher come from my left but I was too frightened to care. _

_" Now now, Lucy. Take some deep breaths. My name is William Stryker and I just want to have a little chat." He said as he kneeled in front of me and pulled a small, white hankercheif from the pocket of his uniform and gently offered it to me. _

_I sniffed and hesitantly took the piece of cloth from him. "A chat about...about what?" I said in between sniffles. _

_"How much do you know about your father, Lucy?"_

_I watched as he stood up and began walking back to his previous position in front of me. I couldn't have been more confused. I had no real memories of my father. I knew he was Biochemist, apparently a really smart guy, and was head of the biology department at Brown University. According to my mom, his absolute favorite food was a grilled cheese sandwich, which always seemed a little immature for a biochemist. I was only 2 years old when he died of cancer and my mother, being such an emotionally sensitive person, still got choked up whenever she talked about him. _

_"My... father? But I don't understa-"_

_"Your father was a very unique individual," he said as he reached over to the table and retrieved a thin black file. "see, before you were born, your father was working on a groundbreaking project. He had this theory, that it was possible to change your entire genetic make-up altering the genes to give, let's say a human, abilities that most normal people don't posses as well as enhancing their natural given abilities. In essence, making the subject a... super human for lack of a better term." _

_I watched as his eyes scanned the contents of the file he held, waiting for him to continue._

_" Now, your father was unaware at the time but nature had already beaten him to the punch. There were already people being born for centuries with a similar, more enhanced DNA structure, only it had evolved naturally as a form of genetic mutation."_

_This guy had to be kidding. I felt like I was in a bad science fiction novel. "Mutants? You...you can't be serious."_

_Suddenly the guy with the swords stood up, flipping his sword around and sheathing it behind his back effortlessly. "Hey, easy with that 'mutant' stuff. We prefer genetically challenged." _

_I couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, even in spite of my current circumstances." You don't honestly expect me to believe that you guys are all freaking... __**mutants!**__" _

_"Naw, No, no no. Not that guy." he said gesturing to the older man, who glared slightly back at him. " He's no fun, we don't let him in the club." _

_The third man in the flannel to my right simply rolled his eyes and muttered " Jesus Christ."_

_"That's enough Wade." Stryker said, while Wade simply smiled and leaned against the wall, looking rather proud of himself. _

_"As I was saying," the military man continued, shooting an annoyed glance in Wade's direction. " What makes your father's work so special is that with his method, he is able to control the mutation, to pick and choose which genetic gifts to bestow on which subject, to vary the degree of how powerful each ability is. Can you imagine what that kind of power could do for the future of this country?" As I watched him speak I couldn't help but notice the excitement lighting up his features. He looked like a little kid on Christmas morning. _

_"Now your father was either a very noble man or a very stupid one. Because instead of testing his advancements on something like a lab rat, he injected himself with the solution he had come up with, which unfortunately eventually resulted in his death. But not before successfully changing his genetic make-up." _

_"But my father -"_

_He ignored my protests. " Now we've been able to uncover his research and duplicate the solution he created. The only problem is, the solution refuses to recognize the genetic structure in any of our subjects thus leaving it dormant. They rarely survive the week after treatment. At first we suspected it was a flaw in our duplications of the solutions, but after years of testing and no change, we started to wonder if it was the DNA that was wrong."_

_"I'm...I'm not going to lie I'm having trouble following you...what does __**any of this **__have to do with me?" I said looking around at all three men. Stryker took a few steps toward me and kneeled in front of me again, locking eyes with my own._

_" What your father had done was create a serum that incredibly, only recognizes and reacts to his own DNA sequence." _

_I suddenly was hit with a very bad feeling. _

_" A DNA sequence that was passed down to you, Lucy." _

_"What are you saying? That the solution to getting your stupid serum to work is in my blood?" _

_Stryker's smiled broadened. "That's what I'm counting on, yes. We have already taken the liberty of testing some of your blood while you were unconscious and we discovered the most fascinating thing. The same genetic abnormalities that your father had created in himself, and nature had created in mutants, already exist in your DNA, most likely passed down to you before your father died and after he was injected. It simply has been lying dormant for years, passing you off a normal, healthy human being." _

_My mind was on overload. Nevermind the personal violation I felt at having my blood taken from me and tested on without my permission. None of what he was saying could be true. I knew my own body didn't I? I was so mentally exausted I could barely focus on the implications of what he was telling me. Was he actually trying to tell me that I was a...mutant? It couldn't be possible! Up until a few minutes ago I didn't even know they existed! "That..that can't be possible, I __**am **__a normal, healthy human being!"_

_"If we simply find a way to trigger your mutation and make it active in your body, then we can figure out how the serum works when bonded with your DNA. I can harness that reaction, and use it to weaken mutants or even normal humans who pose a threat to our country. I can strengthen trusted members of our military! You can be apart of something monumental Lucy. You would be responsible for keeping our nation and subsequently the world, safe." _

_I met his gaze. " I don't understand. If you need my help so badly, why not just ask me? Why send captain psychopath over here to break into my home, knock me out cold and kidnap me? I mean did you even think that maybe there could have been an easier way to go about all this?"_

_"Hey, hey hold up Princess. If your gonna start dishing out nicknames at least put some effort into them. Besides," Wade said turning to look at Stryker, mock humility gracing his features. " I really didn't hit her __**that **__hard." _

_Stryker got up again and leaned against the table eyeing a very smug looking Wade. "I admit, Mr. Wilson has a tendency to go overboard sometimes when subduing a subject..."_

_"I am __**not **__a 'subject!" _

_"- but like I told you before, it was absolutely necessary and completely imperative that you were brought here to our base. We could not risk the chance of you refusing, or telling someone about the project. Until it is complete, it is essential that this assignment stay classified. Lucy, it really is a simple process. It will only be a few months of testing your DNA, seeing how it reacts to the serums. And God willing, if you're healthy and the process goes without complications, you may even be able to go back home. " _

_I felt another tear slide down my face. _

_"What do you mean 'complications'?" Although I had a sinking feeling I already knew what he meant._

_Stryker looked at me as tenderly as I think he could have. "Well, we haven't had a whole lot of success with our previous experiments. All who have had the serum were ultimately killed by it. My theory about you, is just that. A theory. I can make no promises about the state of your health or your survival for that matter. Of course, while you're here we'll try to keep you as comfortable as possible..."_

_I couldn't believe it. Here this man was telling me that chances were, he and his stupid experimentations were likely going to kill me and he didn't even bat an eye. I was unashamed when silent tears continued to roll down my cheeks and I bent my head in defeat. I noticed the man in flannel tense slightly beside me when he noticed the wetness hitting the floor but said nothing._

_Any fight I might have had in me was suddenly gone. I felt defeated and exhausted. I almost wanted to beg that jerk Wade to knock me out again. At least if I was unconscious I wouldn't have to face everything Stryker was telling me. _

_"I don't want to do this." I said softly, my voice trembling slightly._

_"I know that." Stryker said almost as softly._

_"I don't have a choice. Do I?" _

_"That's correct." _

_I brought my legs up onto the small metal chair and hugged my knees, the only sound in the room were my quiet sniffles and choked back sobs. All eye's in the room stayed directly focused on me, except for Wade, who had suddenly found something else to look at, his hazel eyes staying glued to the shaggy carpet at his feet. _

_"Well then," Stryker said excitedly. "Shall we get started?"_


End file.
